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Brain Tumor vs Brain Cancer: What’s the Difference?

brain-tumor-vs-brain-cancer-whats-the-difference
brain-tumor-vs-brain-cancer-whats-the-difference

Anything‍‌‍‍‌ related to brain diagnosis usually brings confusion, fear, and lots of questions that go unanswered. One of the first uncertainties is whether it is a brain tumor or brain cancer. However, those terms which sound alike, they refer to completely different situations.

In this article we have explained the differences between brain tumor and brain cancer in a very simple and clear way so the patients can be informed and prepared for the path that is to come. Early consultation at a best neurology hospital in Hisar like Sarvesh Health City can help in correct diagnosis and suitable treatment from the beginning.

What Is a Brain Tumor?

A brain tumor refers to a mass of abnormal cells growing either inside or close to the brain. Such tumors can originate from various parts of the brain such as the brain tissue, the base of the skull, or the protective layers that enclose the brain. They are broadly divided into benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) ones, and their nature is determined by their kind, size, and exact location.

Though benign tumors are not cancerous, they can still result in life-threatening situations as they grow, thus making the nearby structures around the brain compressed and disrupting vital functions like speech, vision, movement, or memory.

What Is Brain Cancer?

Brain cancer is a malignant tumor that grows rapidly, invades and damages the healthy parts of the brain. Such cancers can either develop in the brain itself (primary brain cancer) or spread to the brain from other parts of the body like the lungs or breasts (metastatic brain cancer). Their fast growth and lack of irregular borders are more risky and less feasible to be controlled.

Brain cancer usually moves faster than benign tumors, which is why it can cause neurological symptoms, for example, severe headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, or loss of vision. Since malignant cells extend to the tissue around them, it is important to detect the disease at an early stage and to receive proper treatment in order to control symptoms and have a better ‍‌‍‍‌prognosis.

Key Differences Between Brain Tumor and Brain Cancer

Every brain cancer is a tumor; however, not all tumors are cancer. The main difference is in the behavior of the cells. It is very important to understand that a benign tumor, in any case, can turn into one that threatens life if it is located close to the essential organs. The pressure itself can alter breathing centers, memory areas, speech regions, or motor pathways, which shows the urgency of medical care.

Benign Brain Tumors

  • Generally grow slowly, within a few years, sometimes even longer
  • Possess well-defined borders
  • Do not spread to other parts of the brain, except in rare cases
  • Do not usually penetrate healthy tissueIn most cases, feature a decreased probability of returning after surgery

Malignant Brain Tumors (Brain Cancer)

  • Grow rapidly, sometimes only in weeks
  • Have jagged edges and a growth pattern that is infiltrative
  • Extend, and eventually, replace the surrounding brain tissue
  • Could metastasize to different parts of the brain
  • Carries a higher risk of ‍‌‍‍‌recurrence

Types of Brain Tumors

Brain‍‌‍‍‌ tumors can be categorized into two main types: primary and metastatic.

Primary Brain Tumors

These tumors develop in the brain itself and may be either benign or malignant. Some typical examples are:

  • Meningiomas: Develop in the brain’s protective layer and are usually slow-growing
  • Pituitary Adenomas: Disrupt hormone regulation
  • Vestibular Schwannomas: Affect hearing and balance
  • Gliomas: Develop from glial cells; can be very aggressive, e.g., glioblastoma
  • Medulloblastomas: Mostly found in children

Metastatic Brain Tumors

These are cancers that started somewhere else in the body and spread to the brain. Therefore, they are always malignant. In adults, brain metastases are more frequent than primary brain cancers. The most common sources of metastatic lesions are lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, or blood ‍‌‍‍‌cancers.

Symptoms and Impact of Brain Tumors and Brain Cancer

There are different symptoms of tumors based on the location. As the brain is responsible for the movement, speech, vision, memory, balance, and emotions, any changes in these can be serious.

Typical symptoms are:

  • Headaches 
  • Unexplained seizures
  • Speech, thinking, or word-finding problems
  • Changes in behavior or personality
  • Weakness or numbness of one side of the body
  • Loss of balance or lack of coordination
  • Seeing things unclearly or seeing double
  • Confusion, memory loss, or disorientation
  • Vomiting or nausea not related to food

When the tumor grows, it may cause increased pressure inside the skull or even swelling that can lead to serious problems. Eventually, these tumors may affect the patient’s breathing, heart rate, or even cause loss of ‍‌‍‍‌consciousness.

Diagnosis of Brain Cancer and Brain Tumor 

Doctors start with a neurological examination that is used to assess the brain functions. Tests like CT and MRI scans are used to localize a tumor in terms of its size, shape, and exact location.

To know the tumor type and grade, a biopsy is the answer in most cases. If the tumor is deeply located or in a vital area, imaging-guided minimally invasive needle biopsies are the method of choice. Although spinal taps may be done in some cases, in situations of high brain pressure they are avoided because of the herniation risk.

Tumors are categorized from I to IV by referring to how different the cells look and how rapidly they are likely to grow:

  • Grade I: Slow-growing, benign
  • Grade II: Slow-growing but can become malignant
  • Grade III: Malignant, faster-growing
  • Grade IV: Highly aggressive, such as ‍‌‍‍‌glioblastoma

Final Thoughts 

Knowing the difference between brain tumors and brain cancer allows people to decide wisely and get medical help quickly. A brain tumor, whether it is a noncancerous or a cancerous one, definitely needs a doctor’s assessment.

Being treated in a specialized center is what really changes the whole scenario for a patient having a brain tumor or brain cancer. Sarvesh Health City is ranked among the best neurology hospital in Hisar, providing state-of-the-art neurodiagnostic instruments, an expert neurosurgery unit, and a comprehensive team approach for the complex brain problems.

FAQs

Q1.‍‌‍‍‌ Can a benign brain tumor turn into cancer? 

Ans.It is a rare situation, but some slow-growing tumors may change their nature and become malignant after a long period of time, which is why doctors always ask for periodic checkups.

Q2. Is every brain tumor visible on an MRI scan? 

Ans.In many cases, MRI can identify a tumor, but extremely small or newly formed needs to be confirmed by imaging techniques or re-evaluation.

Q3. Do children and adults get different types of brain tumors? 

Ans.Yes, they do. For example, medulloblastomas are typical childhood tumors whereas gliomas and metastatic tumors usually occur in adults.

Q4. How quickly do brain cancer symptoms progress? 

Ans.In most cases, cancer symptoms are linked to rapidly growing malignant tumors that get worse over time.

Q5. Are all headaches a sign of a brain tumor? 

Ans.A headache that is constant and gets worse might be due to a tumor, but the majority of headaches have a different origin which is less serious.

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Umesh-Kalra
DR. UMESH KALRA

CHAIRMAN & SR. NEUROSURGEON

Best Neurosurgeon in Hisar – Dr. Umesh Kalra, providing expert care at Sarvesh Health City for neurological treatments.